Listening In The Hallway
by Dragonsbane1611
Summary: (SH-NLG) He could hear the girls laughing in the living room as they played with their mother. He smiled and turned off the tap at the sink he was washing his hands at.


Note: This is part of a series of little bursts of Neville and Luna goodness (NLG), and all my NLG is back-story for the epic 'Supposed Happiness' by MoonCroww. If you want to fully understand the whole situation and future events … toddle over and check it out. Thanks. ~Lady Roxyeth, Dragonsbane  
  
Listening In The Hallway  
  
Sun.18.Jan.2004  
  
***  
  
  
  
He looked around for a towel and, finding none, conceded to drying his hands on his slacks. Making his way out of the kitchen, he caught sight of a hand towel draped over the back of one of the chairs at the table and made a face. With a glance at the hand prints on his trousers, he tossed the towel to the counter by the sink and went into the living room.  
  
Luna was kneeling on the floor in front of the sofa playing with two six-month old girls with blonde curls twisting around their heads. When he entered, she turned a smile on him and her eyes twinkled. Neville never knew exactly what to think of her smile; a little vague, sometimes sad, but always warm. He smiled back and took his place next to her.  
  
Looking at his twin daughters, his smile faded slightly. He picked up the toy they were playing with and they giggled at him.  
  
"I found that in the attic," his wife said quietly, as he turned the little black dog over in his hands.  
  
"Oh, that's fine," he said, smiling again, and putting the toy in the outstretched hand of his daughter, Lotus. "That dog hasn't been played with in years."  
  
"Dawd," Ivy gurgled, taking it from her sister and setting on the floor. The girls stared at it for a moment before Ivy picked it up and narrowed her eyes at it.  
  
Luna nudged her husband a little in the side as she observed their daughters, her smile now reflecting her adoration and amusement. He chuckled, grabbing at the toy again.  
  
"Sorry, girls, it's muggle. It won't move," he informed them, but this didn't remove the befuddled looks from their faces  
  
"Dawd?"  
  
Lotus held out a hand for it again, but as he began to give it back, Luna stopped him.  
  
"Time for bed," she announced, reaching for Lotus. Neville stood and took Ivy with him, following Luna to the girls' room. He still had the dog in his hand and waved it around in front of him as he carried Ivy up the stairs. She laughed and reached for it. He pulled it out of her reach and made a growling noise, poking her in the belly with the figurine. She laughed again and threw her head against his jaw.  
  
He winced a little at the force, but smiled and kissed her cheek, pocketing the toy. He looked up to find his wife watching him, forever smiling, and he walked to where she was standing next to the crib. Ivy was placed in the bed next to Lotus. Neville took his wife's hands and kissed her forehead. She squeezed his hands and leaned into him only slightly.   
  
Feeling eyes on them, they both turned and saw the twins looking up expectantly.  
  
"I know, I know," Luna sighed, smiling at the girls.  
  
Neville raised his eyebrows at her as she released his hands.  
  
"I promised them I'd tell them all about pinching parberries."  
  
It never ceased to amaze him how the most obscure words could sound beautiful when spoken in her airy voice. He smiled at her and nodded, turning to leave.  
  
"Be sure to tell them how to identify them in a cluster of raspberries."  
  
"Blackberries. Where are you going?" she asked. He turned back and met her gaze. Ivy and Lotus had pulled themselves up and were leaning on the side of the crib.  
  
"How could I forget?" he asked himself, going back and kissing both of his children in turn. Luna placed a hand on his back as he bent to reach them. They returned by brushing their lips on his cheek and he smiled. "I love my baby girls."  
  
Again, he turned to leave, but acknowledging the hand still on the small of his back, he looked at his wife and her sparkling eyes. That sparkle was familiar and he took a deep breath  
  
"You think you know everything about pinching parberries?" she asked, quietly, turning away from the children who had laid back down when their father released them.  
  
It wasn't often that Neville attempted a smirk, but since he'd gotten married, there were moments when that was all he could do.  
  
"I thought …"  
  
A baby began to fuss and Luna immediately turned around.  
  
"Pinching parberries," she began, her eyes getting wide and, if possible, her voice getting lighter. Neville sighed, the corners of his mouth twitching as he left for his bedroom across the hall.  
  
Sitting down on the end of his bed, he kicked off his shoes and undid the top three buttons of his shirt before flopping back and grumbling a little about parberries and their strange inclination to pinch. Despite his grumbling, he was grinning as he sat up. The man remembered the gift from his childhood friend and set the small black dog on the armoire as he changed into his night clothes. He moved to the doorway, listening to Luna's singsong vocals as she lulled the children to sleep.  
  
Though he'd heard every word before, he couldn't help but be captivated by her when she spoke. He sat down on the floor with his back to the wall, just outside the doorway to Ivy's and Lotus' bedroom, pulling his knees up to his chin and resting his head on them. Neville closed his eyes and smiled to himself at her nonsense, but, nevertheless, found that he was, as always, believing every word of it.  
  
He had no idea how long she went on, and wasn't even aware she'd stopped until she knelt down in front of him, placing her hands on his knees.  
  
"Sleepy?" she whispered when they made eye contact. Again, he saw that old twinkle and shook his head.  
  
"I've told you before; it would be much more comfortable if you'd just sit in the rocking chair whilst I tell them their stories," she told him.  
  
"It's not so bad," Neville said fondly, patting the floorboard next to him.  
  
She stood up and held out a hand, which he took, but didn't use as he got to his feet.  
  
"Already changed and everything?" she asked quietly, affecting her most faraway tone and leading him into their room. "Tut, tut."  
  
Neville shrugged, grinning, and shut the door behind him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
©2004 – Roxanne L. Martin, Writings From Behind The Red Door 


End file.
